Stick and stay stick plates

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides apparatuses and methods for removably attaching a utensil to an external surface, The utensil includes an adhesive arrangement that secures the utensil to the external surface and a protective covering that prevents the adhesive arrangement from binding to the external surface until the protective covering is removed by a user. The user may remove the utensil from the external surface and subsequently return the utensil to be in contact with the external surface. The present invention supports different types of utensils, including plates, cups, bowls, and tablecloths.

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/374,857, “Happy Picnic Plates,” filed Apr. 24, 2002; No. 60/401,949, “Happy Picnic Plates/Stick and Stay Sticky Plates,” filed Aug. 8, 2002; and No. 60/446,773, “Happy Picnic Plates—Stick and Stay,” filed on Feb. 13, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to eating utensils, in particular to utensils, such as picnic utensils, that may be used in an outside environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Much of people's outdoor activities involve eating outdoors. For example, families and friends often picnic outdoors during the summer time. A picnic table may be nicely set with plates, cups, and other eating utensils. Often, a gust of wind blows the utensils to the ground, soiling the utensils. Once the food and drink have been served in plates and cups, the wind may blow the plates of food and cups of soda off the picnic table on people's laps. Moreover, a person may inadvertently bump a cup of drink, causing the drink to spill on the table or on an adjacent person. Needless to say, when this happens, the joy of the associated event may be adversely affected. Such a scenario is typical of other outdoor activities, including baseball and football games, company picnics, and family gatherings.

[0004] People have typically experienced a scenario that is similar to the scenario described above. Thus, it would be a real benefit to the art if apparatuses and methods would enable eating utensils from being disrupted by external forces such as wind and accidental touching.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention provides apparatuses and methods for removably attaching a utensil to an external surface, The utensil includes an adhesive arrangement that secures the utensil to the external surface and a protective covering that prevents the adhesive arrangement from binding to the external surface until the protective covering is removed by a user. The user may remove the utensil from the external surface and subsequently return the utensil to be in contact with the external surface. The present invention supports different types of utensils, including plates, cups, bowls, and tablecloths.

[0006] In an embodiment of the invention, a utensil, such as a paper plate, has an adhesive area that is located on a bottom region of the utensil, where the adhesive region is covered by a protective covering. The protective covering may assume different shapes, depending on a shape the adhesion area. Embodiments of the invention may include a protective covering assuming a shape of at least one circularly-shaped disk or at least one strip. The user may remove the protective covering by pulling on a tab that is part of the protective covering or that is coupled to the protective covering. In another embodiment of the invention, a plurality of utensils are stacked, where an adjacent utensil provides a protective covering for an adjacent utensil.

[0007] With another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for locating and attaching at least one adhesive object to a utensil so that the utensil removably sticks to an external surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a picnic plate with a circularly-shaped disk affixed to the bottom of the plate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a user removing the picnic plate that is shown in FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 3 shows a variation of a picnic plate with a circularly-shaped disk affixed to the bottom of the plate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

[0011]FIG. 4 shows a picnic plate with a strip that is affixed to the bottom of the plate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

[0012]FIG. 5 shows a picnic plate with an adhesive that is applied to a bottom surface of the plate at various adhesive areas and that is covered with a wax paper guard;

[0013]FIG. 6 shows adjacent plates in which the bottom plate functions as an adhesive guard;

[0014]FIG. 7 shows a picnic plate with an advertisement region and a strip that is affixed to the bottom of the plate in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

[0015]FIG. 8 shows adhesive disks that may be affixed to a bottom surface of a paper plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a picnic plate 100 with a circularly-shaped disk 107 affixed to the bottom of plate 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment of the invention, plate 100 may be a Styrofoam, plastic, or paper plate. Other embodiments may support other eating utensils such as bowls and cups. Also, eating utensil may be disposable or reusable. Another embodiment of the invention may support picnic-related utensils, including table cloths and napkins.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, circularly-shaped disk 107 provides a protective covering for an adhesive area 105 that is deposited on a bottom region 103 of plate 100. Bottom region 103 contacts an external surface (not shown) such as a table top. The bottom surface of plate 100 may also comprise a ridge region 101 that typically does not contact the external surface and that typically spans the circumference of plate 100. Circularly-shaped disk 107 may be peeled off by a user, thus exposing adhesive area 105. When adhesive area 105 contacts the external surface, picnic plate 100 is secured to the external surface in accordance with the adhesive characteristics of an associated adhesive. For example the tack level of the adhesive used in adhesive area 105 may be categorized as being super high, high, medium or low. The greater the tack level, the more secure plate 100 will be to the external surface, and thus the greater robustness to external forces such as wind gusts. However, with a greater tack level, the user may need to exert more effort to remove the utensil from the external surface. Thus, the tack level may be chosen in accordance with expected environmental conditions and usage.

[0018] In the embodiment, circularly-shaped disk 107 has a cut out 109 located at an approximate center of disk 107. (In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the adhesive of adhesive area 105 is applied in a “ring.”) Also, circularly-shaped disk 107 has a tab 111 that is not affixed to adhesive area 105. Tab 111 may be an integral part of disk 107 or may be coupled to disk 107. A user may pull on tab 111 in order to facilitate a removal of circularly-shape disk 107. In the embodiment, circularly-shaped disk may comprise a wax paper material; however, other embodiments may comprise another material, such as a polymer, that does not adversely disrupt adhesive area 105 when circularly-shaped disk 107 is removed.

[0019] In the embodiment, a user may remove plate 100 from the external surface and return plate 100 on the external surface. In such a case, adhesive region 105 essentially maintains a degree of adherence as when plate 100 was initially placed on the external surface.

[0020]FIG. 2 shows a user removing picnic plate 100 that is shown in FIG. 1. With an action 201, the user twists plate 100 in a counterclockwise direction. With an action 203, the user twists plate 100 in a clockwise direction. As a result of actions 201 and 203, plate 100 is not secured to the external surface by adhesive area 105.

[0021] Consequently, the user can remove plate 100 with action 205.

[0022]FIG. 3 shows variation of a picnic plate 300 with a circularly-shaped disk 307 affixed to the bottom of plate 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0023] Even though FIG. 3 illustrates disk 307 spanning a portion of the bottom surface of plate 300, a variation of the embodiment may support disk 307 spanning approximately an entirety of the bottom surface. Plate 300 comprises a ridge region 301, a bottom region 303, an adhesive area 305, circularly-shaped disk 307, and a tab 311. Picnic plate 300 is a variation of picnic plate 100. However, circularly-shaped disk. 307 does not have a cut out (corresponding to cut out 109 as shown in FIG. 1).

[0024] In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an adhesive may be applied so that the associated shape is approximately circular.

[0025]FIG. 4 shows a picnic plate 400 with a strip 407 that is affixed to the bottom of the plate 400 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Plate 400 comprises a ridge region 401, a bottom region 403, an adhesive area 405, strip 407, and tabs 411 a and 411 b. Referring to FIG. 4, strip 407 is partially removed by a user (not shown) pulling on tab 411 a. While the embodiment has one strip (i.e. strip 407 with associated adhesive area 405), variations of the embodiment may support a plurality of strips, each having a corresponding adhesive area. Having a plurality of adhesive areas may increase the degree of securing a utensil to an external surface.

[0026]FIG. 5 shows a picnic plate 500 with an adhesive that is applied to a bottom surface of plate 500 at various adhesive areas (505, 507, and 509) and covered with a wax paper guard 511 that functions as a protective covering. Referring to the example as shown in FIG. 5, each of the adhesive areas 505, 507, and 509 is approximately circular and arranged along a diameter of a bottom region 503. Guard 511 may be removed by a user pulling on a tab 513, thus exposing adhesive regions 505, 507, and 509 and subsequently contacting the adhesive regions with an external surface (not shown). The adhesive areas (such as areas 505, 507, and 509) are located in order to provide a desired degree of binding between plate 500 and the external surface. For example, in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, adhesive regions 505, 507, and 509 are located in an approximate uniform manner along a diameter of plate 500.

[0027]FIG. 6 shows adjacent plates 600 and 650 in which bottom plate 650 functions as an adhesive guard for top plate 600. A bottom of each plate (600, 650) has an adhesive region, corresponding to adhesive regions 601 and 651, respectively. In the embodiment, a plurality of plates (including plates 600 and 650) are stacked on each other. When a user wishes to obtain a plate, the user removes the top plate (i.e. plate 600 as shown in FIG. 6). An adhesive region of the top plate (i.e. adhesive region 601 as shown in FIG. 6) is exposed so that the top plate may adhere to an external surface. An adjacent plate (not shown) serves as an adhesive guard for plate 650. The user can subsequently remove plate 650 for usage. In the embodiment, a last plate of the stack may have a protective covering (e.g. strip 407 as shown in FIG. 4).

[0028]FIG. 7 shows a picnic plate 700 with an advertisement region 709 and a strip 707 that is affixed to the bottom of plate 700 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 4, a ridge region 701, a bottom region 703, an adhesive region 705, strip 707, and tabs 711 a and 711 b correspond to region 401, bottom region 403, adhesive region 405, strip 407, and tabs 411 a and 411 b, respectively. Referring to FIG. 7, advertisement region 709 is located on ridge region 401. Advertisement region 709 may comprise letters, numbers, and/or images in order to deliver an advertisement for an advertiser. In other embodiments, region 709 may support other functions such as providing interesting or useful information to the user. In other embodiments, region 709 may be located on bottom region 703 or on some location of a top surface of plate 700. Other embodiments of the invention may support a plurality of advertisement regions, where each advertisement region may be located at different locations of plate 700. Moreover, an advertisement region may be located on a surface of strip 407 so that an advertisement becomes evident when a user removes strip 407, which functions as a protective covering. In other embodiments of the invention, an advertising region may be located on at least one side of a protective covering, including circularly-shaped disk 107 (shown in FIG. 1) and circularly-shaped disk 307 (shown in FIG. 3).

[0029]FIG. 8 shows adhesive disks 851-859 that may be affixed to a bottom surface of a paper plate 800. Adhesive disks 851-859 are removably attached to a dispenser tape 850. In the example, as shown in FIG. 8, adhesive disks 851, 853, and 855 are transferred and attached to plate 800 at locations 805, 807, and 809, respectively. In the embodiment, adhesive disks 851-859 are available as GLUE DOTS, which is a registered trademark of Glue Dots International LLC of New Berlin, Wis. Alternative embodiments may utilize Glue Tape, GLUE RECTANGLES, and GLUE LINES. (GLUE RECTANGLES and GLUE LINES are trademarks of Glue Dots International LLC.) In another embodiment, double-sided tape may be cut into at least one piece and positioned on the bottom surface of plate 800. An embodiment may use repositionable tape such as 3M tape 409, 665, 666, 9415PC, 9416, 9425PC, or 9449.

[0030] While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A first utensil, comprising: a first surface; a second surface that contacts an external surface; an adhesive arrangement that resides on the second surface, the adhesive arrangement comprising an adhesive substance that attaches to the external surface in accordance with environmental conditions, wherein a degree of adhesion allows for detachment of the first utensil from the external surface by a user and allows for subsequent reattachment of the first utensil to the external surface; and a protective covering that covers the adhesive arrangement to prevent an attachment to the external surface and that is removable from the adhesive arrangement to activate the attachment to the external surface.
 2. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the first utensil is selected from the group consisting of a plate, a cup, a bowl, and a tablecloth.
 3. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the first surface comprises a first display region.
 4. The first utensil of claim 3, wherein the first display region comprises an advertisement.
 5. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the second surface comprises a second display region.
 6. The first utensil of claim 5, wherein the second display region comprises an advertisement.
 7. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the protective covering is selected from the group consisting of a circular disk with a cut out in an approximate center, a circular disk, and at least one strip.
 8. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the adhesive arrangement is affixed at a plurality of locations of the second surface.
 9. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the second surface comprises a bottom region and a ridge region, the bottom region contacting the external surface.
 10. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the protective covering comprises a second utensil, wherein the first utensil and the second utensil are adjacent to each other, and wherein the first utensil and the second utensil are arranged in a stack of utensils.
 11. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the protective covering comprises at least one tab that is not affixed to the adhesive arrangement.
 12. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the protective covering comprises a display region.
 13. The first utensil of claim 12, wherein the display region comprises an advertisement.
 14. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the first utensil comprises material selected from the group consisting of Styrofoam, plastic, and paper.
 15. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the first utensil comprises material that is disposable.
 16. The first utensil of claim 1, wherein the first utensil comprises material that is non-disposable.
 17. A method for creating an eating utensil that removably sticks to an external surface, the method comprising: (a) locating an approximate location on a surface of the eating utensil, the surface contacting an external surface when the eating utensil is used by a user; and (b) adhering an adhesive object to the approximate location, wherein the adhesive object binds the eating utensil to the external surface.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein (a) and (b) are repeated.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the adhesive object is selected from the group consisting of a GLUE DOT, a Glue Tape, a GLUE RECTANGLE, and a GLUE LINE.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the adhesive object comprises piece of repositionable tape.
 21. The method of claim 17, further comprising: (c) selecting a tack level of the adhesive object to obtain a desired level of binding between the eating utensil and the external surface.
 22. A plate used for eating, comprising: a first surface; a second surface that contacts an external surface; at least one adhesive object that is located along at least one approximate line on the second surface, each adhesive object comprising an adhesive substance that attaches to the external surface, a degree of adhesion of the adhesive substance allowing for detachment of the plate from the external surface by a user and allowing for subsequent reattachment of the plate to the external surface; at least on strip that covers the at least one adhesive object to prevent an attachment to the external surface and that is removable from the at least one adhesive object to activate the attachment to the external surface. 